Tamil Nadu: Screening of 40 cops for contagion begins

A Subburaj | TNN | Updated: Apr 15, 2020, 11:56 IST

The cops were taken to Thudiyalur PHC

COIMBATORE: The health department has begun screening of 40 cops attached to Thudiyalur police station for Covid-19 after the 61-year-old man, who served some of them food for five days, tested positive for the virus on Monday.
A police source said the elderly businessman from Kotari Nagar had a travel history to and from New Delhi, where he had gone for some personal work. While he was screened twice by the health department after he returned to the city by flight on March 23, he was tested negative for the virus on both the occasions.
“Throat swab was taken from him on March 24 and he was tested negative. He remained in home quarantine for 14 days, at the end of which the sample was taken again from him on April 6. That time too he was tested negative,” the source said.
The businessman then started to roam freely and visited Thudiyalur police station, seeking permission to supply food to the homeless and stranded guest workers. He also visited the district collectorate.
“He also provided food to some of Thudiyalur policemen, who were on duty on Mettuplayam Road and primary health centre staff,” the source said.
However, throat swab was taken from him for the third time on April 11 as he started showing Covid-19 symptoms. The test results, which came on Monday, confirmed that he was infected with the novel coronavirus. He was subsequently admitted to the ESI Hospital.
On Tuesday, health department officials approached the cops, seeking their cooperation with the screening process. Inspector Balamurali Sundaram and 39 cops attached to Thudiyalur police station were taken to a primary health centre in the area for the test on Tuesday itself.
“Throat swab was taken from 30 cops today (Tuesday). Samples from the remaining cops will be collected tomorrow (Wednesday),” the source said.
Pointing out that they have traced the family members and friends of the 61-year-old patient, a health department official said samples would be taken from them as well for the test.